This healthy Veggie-Loaded Pesto Pasta Salad is the easiest way to use up your summer garden haul. Toss al dente pasta in a homemade basil pesto dressing and combine with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, artichokes, and arugula for the perfect picnic side or all-in-one meal.

This Versatile Pesto Pasta Salad is Packed With All the Best Flavors of Summer

Pasta salads are the best kind of salads, am I right? I make summer pasta salads on repeat all season long because they’re so forgiving, and you can pretty much just throw in whatever you have in the fridge. That’s exactly the spirit of this pesto pasta salad recipe!

After making a quick homemade pesto with fresh basil, all you have to do is pick your favorite veggies and do a little chopping. I love the combination of juicy cherry tomatoes, crunchy cucumbers and red onion, peppery arugula, and grilled artichoke hearts. But there are so many amazing vegetables to choose from in the summer.

Every forkful is bright and fresh and full of satisfying texture from the vegetables, pine nuts, and cheese!

pesto pasta salad in small serving bowl — This easy pesto pasta salad recipe has all the best things: crunchy veggies, fresh herbs, buttery pine nuts, mozzarella cheese, and plenty of grated parmesan.

Serve the veggie-loaded pesto pasta salad on its own for an easy lunch or side when you’re hosting friends and family. Or add a grilled protein for an all-in-one meal. There are so many ways to enjoy this recipe, you’ll want to make it all summer long, too.

Pesto Pasta Salad Ingredients

Pasta: It’s best to pick a pasta shape with lots of nooks and crannies to capture the pesto dressing. Some of my personal favorites are farfalle, cavatappi, and penne. You can also use a gluten-free or high-protein pasta.

Vegetables: Feel free to get creative and add other veggies that you love! I love the mix of cherry tomatoes, cucumber, arugula, red onion, and grilled artichoke hearts, but bell peppers, zucchini, yellow squash, or spinach would also be great substitutes.

Cheese: I like using 2 kinds of cheese in my pesto pasta salad. Grated parmesan adds a nutty sharpness that complements the homemade pesto, and bocconcini (mozzarella balls) add small bites of creaminess.

Pesto Dressing: To tie everything together, you’ll make a homemade pesto dressing from fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, olive oil, and parmesan. Save some fresh basil leaves and pine nuts for later – I also love tossing them right into the pasta salad!

How to Make The Ultimate Veggie-Packed Pesto Pasta Salad

(full instructions in the recipe card, below)

Step 1: Cook the Pasta. Be sure to boil your pasta in well-salted water for flavor, then drain and rinse with cold water to remove excess starches. Don’t overcook your pasta! Boil just until al dente, so it has a little bit of a bite and doesn’t turn mushy as it stores.

Step 2: Combine with the Add-Ins: Chop your veggies into bite-sized pieces slightly smaller than your pasta shape (the red onion can be more like a fine dice – no one wants big chunks of that!). Then toss with the pasta, cheese, pine nuts, and fresh basil.

pesto pasta salad ingredients in mixing bowl — I love how this pesto pasta salad is full of so many beautiful colors and creamy, crunchy, tender textures.

Step 3: Make the Pesto. It’s easy to whip up a homemade pesto in your food processor. Add the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, salt, and pepper, then blend until smooth and the pine nuts are broken down. You can also try my Basil Pesto with Spinach for another sneaky dose of veggies!

pesto dressing ingredients in food processor — A homemade basil pesto only takes a few minutes and tastes way more fresh than anything store-bought – especially if you’re using up all the basil in your garden!

Step 4: Toss. Pour the basil pesto over the pasta salad and stir until well combined. This recipe makes enough dressing to coat the pasta and vegetables, but you can always add more if you prefer a creamier pesto pasta salad.

pesto pasta salad ingredients in large bowl and pesto dressing be drizzled over — Toss everything together, and you’re ready to serve or store for later!

From here, you can either dig right in or store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. I love making this pesto pasta salad recipe a day ahead when I’m hosting a gathering, so the flavors can come together.

What to Serve With Pesto Pasta Salad

As good as this pasta salad is as a picnic side or on its own, I love to pair it with Crispy Gluten Free Chicken Tenders, Garlic Butter Steak Bites, or Grilled Shrimp to make a heartier meal. Then it has everything you need – lots of veggies, carbs, dairy, and satisfying protein.

pasta salad in large serving bowl — No matter how you enjoy, I hope this pesto pasta salad recipe becomes your new go-to!

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